My lovely wife was out of town for a couple of days, and I used that time the way I usually do - I got caught up on some of my tasks, and then I played video games. It's funny, but a couple of hours of Knights of the Old Republic, and I just felt somehow better. I've been thinking about this a lot, and I think I at least partially understand why.
Everything in my life is transient. Nothing ever feels done. Getting things finished around the house just leads to an inevitable, "Well, that just leaves..." followed by a long list of things to come. My job is just made up of finishing parts of tasks, always knowing that in a few weeks, there is a list of things to add to whatever I did before. Every time I think I have the family under control, I discover some new situation that I'm not used to (let me tell you, the whole "terrible twos" thing is not my cup of tea - I love that kid with all my heart, but Daddy's getting really worn out). I rarely ever feel like I accomplish anything.
Games aren't like that. When I play a game I pick up an objective, puzzle out how I'm going to accomplish it, and then actually accomplish it. Finished. Done. No follow up. No, "Hey, that's great, but we forgot that we also need you to do this". (This is of course ignoring that *$&%ing toadstool and his "but our princess is in another castle" thing. God I hated that little ^#%$er.) It's actually done.
It's weird how therapeutic this is. Yes, I realize that what I accomplished is virtual, but does that really matter if it makes me feel better? I come away feeling stronger, more confidant, because dammit, I got something done. I have the closure that doesn't seem to exist in real life, no matter how badly we seem to need it.
Of course there's more to my loving games than this, but I never recognized that particular aspect of it before. I think it's why I always preferred role playing and action games to fighting or sports games (well, that and getting your %#$ handed to you by your lovely not yet wife is a humbling and sometimes frustrating experience). Those games never end - it's a round, a winner, and then a new round. I like having easy to understand and complete objectives. Steal the plans. Kill the demon. Find my pants.
Wait, that last one wasn't in a game.
Dude, where the hell are my pants?
Everything in my life is transient. Nothing ever feels done. Getting things finished around the house just leads to an inevitable, "Well, that just leaves..." followed by a long list of things to come. My job is just made up of finishing parts of tasks, always knowing that in a few weeks, there is a list of things to add to whatever I did before. Every time I think I have the family under control, I discover some new situation that I'm not used to (let me tell you, the whole "terrible twos" thing is not my cup of tea - I love that kid with all my heart, but Daddy's getting really worn out). I rarely ever feel like I accomplish anything.
Games aren't like that. When I play a game I pick up an objective, puzzle out how I'm going to accomplish it, and then actually accomplish it. Finished. Done. No follow up. No, "Hey, that's great, but we forgot that we also need you to do this". (This is of course ignoring that *$&%ing toadstool and his "but our princess is in another castle" thing. God I hated that little ^#%$er.) It's actually done.
It's weird how therapeutic this is. Yes, I realize that what I accomplished is virtual, but does that really matter if it makes me feel better? I come away feeling stronger, more confidant, because dammit, I got something done. I have the closure that doesn't seem to exist in real life, no matter how badly we seem to need it.
Of course there's more to my loving games than this, but I never recognized that particular aspect of it before. I think it's why I always preferred role playing and action games to fighting or sports games (well, that and getting your %#$ handed to you by your lovely not yet wife is a humbling and sometimes frustrating experience). Those games never end - it's a round, a winner, and then a new round. I like having easy to understand and complete objectives. Steal the plans. Kill the demon. Find my pants.
Wait, that last one wasn't in a game.
Dude, where the hell are my pants?
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